Quaker Teams Up With The James Beard Foundation And Chef Marco Canora To Creatively And Deliciously Reduce Food Waste

"One of Quaker's founding principles is that life's circumstances should never be a barrier to good nutrition. We have spent 140 years finding new ways of helping people benefit from the nutrition power of the oat, and we are taking that to a new level with this campaign," said Jessica Spaulding, senior marketing director for Quaker Foods North America. "The fact that oats can serve as a simple, wholesome ingredient in helping to reduce food waste is a testament to their sustained relevance for more than a century."

The Culinary Connection
Quaker teamed up with the James Beard Foundation for this initiative because of the organization's culinary approach to helping transform the way people eat.  In particular, JBF's Impact Programs have taken on food waste reduction as a key issue since launching in 2016 and saw the opportunity to work with a national nutrition brand like Quaker as a way to advance the conversation and bring this important topic to a larger constituency across America.

"The chefs supporting our JBF Impact Programs have taken on the issue of food waste because it is inherent in a chef's DNA to minimize waste in their restaurants," said Kris Moon, vice president of the James Beard Foundation. "They are not only advocates for promoting a more sustainable food system. They have the knowledge and creativity around shopping, storing, and full utilization of food that allows them to turn seemingly ordinary foods into extraordinary dishes which we hope will inspire consumers across the country."

One of the most visible chefs championing this movement is Chef Marco Canora, the winner of the 2017 James Beard Foundation Award for "Best Chef: New York City." He has put his expertise to work for "More Taste, Less Waste" with three oat-based recipes that rescue foods in a unique way: Beet "RisOATo," Oat and Apple Pancakes and Savory Oat Granola with Tomato Raisins.

"As a chef, I am very passionate about inspiring people to eat better, live healthier and still find enjoyment in their food through cooking," said Chef Marco Canora. "At a very young age, the concept of not wasting food was instilled in me by my mother and it's something that has been at the center of my career, which is why I'm excited to be working with Quaker on this impactful campaign. Together, we are working to show people simple, every day steps they can take to reduce the food they waste while discovering creative new eating experiences in the process."

More Taste, Less Waste Chef Contest
The James Beard Foundation, in collaboration with Quaker, hosted a national contest challenging its network of culinary professionals to create recipes using Quaker Oats as a nutritious foundation for recovered foods.

Recipes chosen by Quaker and the James Beard Foundation are now featured on the foundation's website, where consumers have the opportunity to vote for their favorite – for the chance to win a trip for two to New York City for the James Beard Foundation's annual gala. The winning chef will receive a $5,000 donation from Quaker to the non-profit food charity of their choice.

So that people can be inspired to cook with oats and rescued foods, the contest recipes will all be featured in the "More Taste, Less Waste" Pinterest cookbook, along with recipes from Chef Canora and many more food and nutrition influencers.

Power of the Oat
In addition to encouraging consumers to #JustAddOats to help combat food waste, Quaker wants to remind people of the other benefits of cooking with oats, a nutrition powerhouse brought to America's tables by Quaker 140 years ago.

Oats, the mighty supergrain, have a unique nutrition profile and deliver on a variety of health and nutrition benefits. The fiber found in oats may help reduce the risk of heart disease and support a healthy digestive system. Plus, the complex carbohydrates are digested slowly to help provide lasting energy. Oats are also naturally low in fat and sodium, as well as a good source of important vitamins and minerals.

To learn more about the campaign and to vote for the winning recipe, please visit jamesbeard.org/moretastelesswaste. For inspiring "More Taste, Less Waste" recipes, check out Quaker's Pinterest page.

About The Quaker® Oats Company
The Quaker Oats Company, headquartered in Chicago, is a unit of PepsiCo, Inc., one of the world's largest consumer packaged goods companies. For 140 years, Quaker's brands have served as symbols of quality, great taste and nutrition. Quaker® Oats, Quaker® Rice Cakes and Quaker Chewy® Granola Bars are consumer favorites. For more information, please visit www.QuakerOats.com, www.Facebook.com/Quaker or follow us on Twitter @Quaker.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated approximately $63 billion in net revenue in 2016, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our fundamental belief that the success of our company is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around us. We believe that continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world is what enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

About The James Beard Foundation
Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation celebrates, nurtures, and honors chefs and other leaders making America's food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, the late James Beard was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts, instilling in them the value of wholesome, healthful, and delicious food. Today JBF continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships for culinary students, publications, chef advocacy training, and thought-leader convening. The Foundation also maintains the historic James Beard House in New York City's Greenwich Village as a "performance space" for visiting chefs. For more information, please visit jamesbeard.org. Get food news, recipes, and more at the James Beard Foundation's blog, or subscribe to the free digital newsletter Beard Bites. Follow @beardfoundation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat. Watch the James Beard House Kitchen Cam, James Beard Awards, and more on the Foundation's Livestream channel. Find more JBF-related video on the Foundation's YouTube channels.

About Marco Canora
As a James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur and cookbook author, Marco Canora has earned critical acclaim for his delicious fare and commitment to simple, clean food at Hearth, Brodo and Zadie's Oyster Room. In 2017, Marco won the James Beard Award for "Best Chef: NYC". In January 2016, Marco reinvented the 12-year-old Hearth with a fresh new look and sharpened commitment to ingredient transparency and nutrient-dense, delicious food. With a newfound dedication to mindful, nutritious eating, Marco opened his takeout window, Brodo, in November       2014. Adjacent to Hearth in the East Village, Brodo serves nourishing, sip-able bone broths out of coffee cups with customizable add-ins. Marco is the author of three cookbooks: Salt to Taste (2010), A Good Food Day (2014) and Brodo: a bone broth cookbook (2015).

¹ United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2016). America's Food Waste Problem

SOURCE The Quaker Oats Company

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